Green Day's Rock Musical

The musical...and how it came to be.

By Peter Crooks

Published: August 21, 2009

Having rocked arenas from coast to coast on its summer tour, the East Bay’s Green Day has a special homecoming in store this month. Before heading off to Europe for the next leg, singer Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool will attend the world premiere of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s American Idiot—a musical based on their smash album. Here’s how the project came together.

[1] The Album:

► Released in 2004, American Idiot was an angry, ambitious rock opera, with plenty of scorn for the Bush administration. The album sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and won Grammys for album and record (for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”) of the year. A world tour included two shows in England, with the highest attendance for any punk rock concert in history.

[2] The Musical:

► Tom Hulce, best known for his Oscar-nominated role as the original punk rocker, W. A. Mozart, in the film Amadeus, brought the project to Berkeley Rep’s Artistic Director, Tony Taccone. Hulce had produced the 2006 rock musical Spring Awakening, working with director Michael Mayer. “I said yes right away,” says Taccone. “The East Bay’s biggest rock band at Berkeley Rep? It’s going to be great!”

[3] The Director:

► Mayer won a Tony Award for directing the Broadway smash Spring Awakening, a coming-of-age show about the tragic consequences of sexual repression, with music by Duncan Sheik. As Mayer was working on that show, he listened to American Idiot obsessively.

[4] The Composer:

► Billie Joe Armstrong found out about Mayer’s fandom via a post on a Green Day message board. The feeling was mutual. “I was floored [when I saw Spring Awakening]. It was so uncharacteristic of what I thought theater was supposed to be,” Armstrong told Rolling Stone. “[Then], I went to a workshop [for American Idiot], and I couldn’t f*****g believe it. It’s incredible.”

[5] The Show:

► In addition to the entire American Idiot album, Berkeley Rep’s musical will feature four songs from the group’s 2009 album, 21st Century Breakdown. A cast of singers will be accompanied by a band on stage. American Idiot runs September 4–October 11, berkeleyrep.org.

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Faces

Metallica and Janet Jackson headlined the ninth annual benefit concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Thousands attended the performances at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and Civic Center Plaza as well as the pre- and post-show parties in San Francisco City Hall, raising $10 million for medical research.

The Diablo Regional Arts Association hosted its annual fundraising gala at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, where approximately 500 guests enjoyed performances by Bay Area theater stars, music by The Flaming O’s, delicious fare crafted by Barbara Llewellyn Catering and Event Planning, and Wente Vineyards wines. The event raised more than $350,000 to support the Lesher Center’s arts-education and artistic excellence initiatives.

Lindsay Wildlife Experience supporters came together at Va de Vi Bistro and Wine Bar in Walnut Creek for this ninth annual charity event, which raised more than $78,000 for the center’s wildlife rehabilitation and education programs. The alfresco soiree included gourmet food, local wines, and live and silent auctions.

The JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) Greater Bay Area Chapter hosted its 13th annual Summer Classic and Backswing Bash at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, raising more than $500,000 for type 1 diabetes research. The daylong event comprised a golf tournament, libations, live and silent auctions, a dinner party, and dancing under the stars.

Neiman Marcus Walnut Creek hosted a fashion show in collaboration with Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream Foundation. The intimate gathering at the upscale store included mouthwatering bites, champagne, and a runway show featuring several special-occasion looks. Proceeds from the soiree support the work being done by Always Dream to advance early childhood literacy.

This popular Oakland fest drew droves of foodies who craved street eats and sweets from more than 50 of the Bay Area’s finest food purveyors—plus cocktails, wine, and craft beer from various local vendors. Benefiting the Food Craft Institute, the three-day extravaganza in Jack London Square also featured music, special culinary classes, and activities for kids.

The Monument Crisis Center feted its 15 years with a lively commemoration that featured delicious fare, drinks, and music at its Concord facility. In honor
of the milestone, the organization also started a matching campaign to raise $15,000 for its numerous programs that support low-income families and
individuals in Contra Costa County.

Save Mount Diablo hosted its signature fundraising gala at the China Wall formation in Mount Diablo State Park, garnering more than $460,000 for the preservation of open spaces. More than 500 guests enjoyed a three-course dinner, wine, entertainment, and auctions while taking in majestic views.

This popular Oakland fest drew droves of foodies who craved street eats and sweets from more than 50 of the Bay Area’s finest food purveyors—plus cocktails, wine, and craft beer from various local vendors. Benefiting the Food Craft Institute, the three-day extravaganza in Jack London Square also featured music, special culinary classes, and activities for kids.

Professional golfers, local celebrities, and athletes—such as Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry—competed at this annual golf tournament held at the TPC Stonebrae Country Club in Hayward. Hosted by the Pleasanton-based mortgage software company Ellie Mae, the weeklong event raised roughly $150,000 for several charities, including the Warriors Community Foundation, which offers education and development programs to underprivileged students around the Bay Area.